Versiti - Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee Partner for “Double the Drive. Double the Hope.” Holiday Event

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Versiti & Big Brothers Big Sisters Partner for “Double the Drive. Double the Hope.”

Milwaukee — December 02, 2025

This holiday season, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Metro Milwaukee join forces to spread healing and happiness across the city. The two nonprofits will host “Double the Drive. Double the Hope.”, a combined blood drive and toy drive at Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Cathedral Square headquarters.

The event brings together Versiti’s lifesaving mission, BBBS’s mentorship and youth empowerment work, and the Kapco Kids2Kids Toy Drive, organized by Kacmarcik Enterprises. The day offers a meaningful, multi-faceted, community-wide act of giving, with the promise of ongoing collaboration beyond the holidays. In addition to the December event, Versiti and BBBS will host future blood drives at the Cathedral Square location in the coming year to keep the spirit of giving alive.

Donors who give blood on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., are invited to brighten the holidays for local families by bringing a new, unwrapped toy for children served by BBBS and the Kids2Kids Toy Drive.

“This drive reflects what Milwaukee does best — showing up for one another. It’s a way for mentors, families, and neighbors to make the holidays brighter for children while supporting patients in need of lifesaving care, “said Neil Willenson, chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee. “We’re proud to partner with Versiti to make this season of giving even more meaningful.”

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Time: 1p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Big Brothers Big Sisters, 770 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee, WI 53202 (Lower Level in MentorZone)

How to Participate

The community is invited to be part of this unique event and can schedule an appointment by calling 1-877-BE-A-HERO (1-877-232-4376) or visiting Versiti.org.

Anyone 17 or older in good health and meeting eligibility requirements is encouraged to donate blood. Parental consent is required for 16-year-olds to donate.

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About Versiti

Versiti, a national leader in blood health innovation, was formed with the mission to improve the health of patients and enable the success of our healthcare partners nationally. We provide innovative, value-added solutions in the fields of transfusion medicine, transplantation, and blood-related diseases to meet the needs of each of our customers. The collective efforts across Versiti result in improved patient outcomes, expanded access to care, and cost efficiencies for healthcare systems nationwide. For more information, visit versiti.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. By connecting young people with caring mentors, BBBS helps them build confidence, achieve goals, and strengthen the community. Learn more at bbbsmilwaukee.org.

About the Kids2Kids Toy Drive

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Kapco’s Kids2Kids Toy Drive! In 2006, the Kacmarcik family, along with WTMJ-AM, created a simple grassroots toy drive. The program has distributed over 335,000 toys and is still going strong. Kids2Kids accepts only new and unwrapped toys for donation. Suggested items include sports balls, gym/school bags, portable chargers, Bluetooth speakers, bikes, handheld games, watches, sunglasses, wallets, makeup sets, helmets, costumes, jewelry, headphones, stuffed animals, and more. Learn more at kids2kidstoydrive.com.

Media Contact

Kristin Paltzer

kpaltzer@versiti.org

Chicago Fire FC and Versiti Unite for Fire Up Blood Drive to Save Lives

Versiti Blood Center of Illinois and Chicago Fire FC are teaming up to host the Fire Up Blood Drive, a community event dedicated to saving lives and celebrating generosity. The drive will be held Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chicago Fire Endeavor Health Performance Center.